Hind gut ulcers

[meleeka]

Is anyone able to tell me the treatment for these? Is there a diagnostic test? I have a retired Cushings pony who I suspect has them. She is Medicated and a good weight but has watery dung which is worse the more hay she gets.(the dung itself is normal but is then followed by brown water which ends up
down her legs). I was feeding Acid Ease which worked for a while but now she’s in at night and getting ad-lib hay it’s not working anymore. I can tell she has discomfort when it’s at its worst.

Vet wasn’t much help tbh. She was quite vague and just said they could look into it more but try supplements.

 

[JillA]

https://equinenutritionnerd.com/201...tions-for-stomach-ulcer-treatment-prevention/

As she has loose droppings I would be getting her a decent probiotic to make her GIT more efficient

 

[HeyMich]

For hind gut ulcers you need sucralphate, which can be from a vet or from an online overseas source, Abler is the name that springs to mind.

 

[Melody Grey]

The veterinary industry don’t seem very interested in hind gut ulcers- probably because there is no definitive test for them, so they’re ‘diagnosed’ largely by a process of elimination. I’ve had several horses with them over the years and have used Protexin to great effect and Sucralfate courtesy of Abler for the tougher ones to crack.

there is the succeed test, but you need to convince your vet to do it and then it isn’t definitive. I went down this route with one horse which got put in succeed supplement but for us that was a really expensive waste of time (may work for others?)

I’ve had some pretty interesting conversations with vets who were happy to prescribe the succeed supplement they could sell but not prepared to diagnose the horse so I could claim it through insurance....so just check your insurance will cover it if you do take this route?

 

[Melody Grey]

For hind gut ulcers you need sucralphate, which can be from a vet or from an online overseas source, Abler is the name that springs to mind.

Sorry! A bit cross posted with you there.

 

[Melody Grey]

There was a supply issue with Sucralfate a few years back in the UK, so I have always used Abler. That said, most times I have used it, I have been in last chance saloon with no insurance money left. Not sure whether vets have access to it again now?

 

[AUB]

My mare has suffered from runny poo/“water” after pooing for a long time and I’ve tried a variety of supplements. Fell over the term hind gut ulcers here, started reading and since it fit quite well I adjusted the feeding plan. Lo and behold, poo was nice after a few days and has been nice for a fee weeks now! Since the diagnosis isn’t really used here in Denmark I didn’t treat, I just made changes to the feed.

As far as I’ve established from reading it’s not that easy to diagnose as you can’t scope for it. There are some blod tests that can point in that direction but it’s mostly a question of “if this feeding plan (and maybe treatment) works it was probably hind gut ulcers”. So I’d just start there if I were you.
Also, there is a Facebook group that is quite informative, it’s called Horses with Ulcers.

 

[HeyMich]

There was a supply issue with Sucralfate a few years back in the UK, so I have always used Abler. That said, most times I have used it, I have been in last chance saloon with no insurance money left. Not sure whether vets have access to it again now?

Yep, I've had it a few times from the vets. It's about £35 a tub, if I remember correctly. Lasts about a month. Worth it though, as it really helped my mare with her hard to treat symptoms.

 

[Melody Grey]

Yep, I've had it a few times from the vets. It's about £35 a tub, if I remember correctly. Lasts about a month. Worth it though, as it really helped my mare with her hard to treat symptoms.

👍 that’s useful to know- it’s much cheaper from the vets then than abler!

 

[ycbm]

Worth trying feeding yeasacc routinely, only 15g a day needed so not expensive, and aloe juice, also only 25ml needed and not expensive. Both proven to improve gut health.

.

 

[dixie]

I’ve found Ron Fields Nutrition helped my horse
He does a liquid online but I found his powder worked better but you need to ring for it.
He’s interesting to talk to so might be worth a chat.
I think the powders around £36 so not too expensive to trial.
Another one to try is Peptonil by Trinity Consultants.

 

[ycbm]

👍 that’s useful to know- it’s much cheaper from the vets then than abler!

I think it's more likely that MG is remembering wrongly. The cheapest price of sucralfate online anywhere is about 35 cents a gram and a horse needs 30 grams a day, 900 grams a month, c 300 dollars, more than Abler.

.

 

[Melody Grey]

I think it's more likely that MG is remembering wrongly. The cheapest price of sucralfate online anywhere is about 35 cents a gram and a horse needs 30 grams a day, 900 grams a month, c 300 dollars, more than Abler.

.

I just paid about £165 for a month of Sucralfate from abler- not sure what that is in USD? I was meaning that from the posts above, the vets would be cheaper than that?

 

[paddy555]

I just paid about £165 for a month of Sucralfate from abler- not sure what that is in USD? I was meaning that from the posts above, the vets would be cheaper than that?

in May 2016 my vet charged £73.6 per 100 one gram tablets.

 

[Goldenstar]

Free fecal water syndrome is not well understood but they do know that it’s linked to horses being low in social pecking order .
my gelding H has always suffered from this it’s never seems to do him any harm .
we keep him clean and the bum area coated in baby oil.
i know your horse is a mare but it’s mostly seen in geldings .

 

[meleeka]

Free fecal water syndrome is not well understood but they do know that it’s linked to horses being low in social pecking order .
my gelding H has always suffered from this it’s never seems to do him any harm .
we keep him clean and the bum area coated in baby oil.
i know your horse is a mare but it’s mostly seen in geldings .

That’s what I thought first of all, but the fact that Acid Ease worked so well (and so did Protexin Quick Fix although she’s just had a syringe and it didn’t help) led me to think ulcers. I’ve also noticed a definite link with her grumpiness as when her poos aren’t runny she’s much happier (she’s a ginger welsh mare so quite Marish!)

She’s second only to my gelding although he’s a cob so gets very pushy around hay (which is why she’s stabled at bight so she can relax and eat plenty). They are very bonded and there’s two other ponies that are lower than her in the pecking order.

Feeding nothing but hay and a bit of straw chaff didn’t make any difference and it seems to be when she’s eating more hay. Grass doesn’t make any difference either.

By the sounds of it I’d have to have her scoped for ulcers first anyway if I got the vet involved? Will probably try Yeesac first as mentioned above as at least that’s fairly cheap.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have tried all sorts on H
It has reduced over the years I think the biggest thing is he’s become more confident and happier
anything that makes him anxious sets it away .

 

[Leo Walker]

The one I had with them, I treated them with ad lib hay, feeding pink mash, and removing the source of pain and stress, which is probably what was responsible for causing them in the first place.

 

[Leo Walker]

Pink mash is fed at 100gms per 100kgs of bodyweight and has a full dose of protexin in it. It does seem to work better than just adding protexin though.

 

[meleeka]

The one I had with them, I treated them with ad lib hay, feeding pink mash, and removing the source of pain and stress, which is probably what was responsible for causing them in the first place.

I wish I knew what the source of stress was. ☹️ Shes a much loved field ornament who pretty much does what she wants (including being stabled or not. She’s pretty clear when she wants to be in/out). She always has company and has lived in the same field with the same herd for 15 years. If I were a pony I wouldn’t mind her life.

I will get a sample of pink mash as I’ve heard it recommended before. Last time I tried it she wouldn’t eat it but who knows if she might now.

 

[SamBean]

I've just had one of mine on sucralfate for 2 months, his ulcers were terrible but I can't tell you how much it was. I can look on my invoice from vet/insurance if anyone is interested?

 

[Taliesan]

I've found the Trinity Consultants supplements fantastic for my horses' gut health. Simon is incredibly helpful and he's always recommended the right product to help sort my boy's problems out.

Jack had faecal water and loose poo. He was on their L94 supplement for 10 days which cleared up the water and his poo was firmer by end end of the course as well. (He has a dodgy digestive system anyway and I now like to keep him on Trinity's supplement for grazing support as it does make a huge difference to him.)

Apollo had suspected hind gut ulcers as he was quite tucked up and not putting on the weight I was expecting him to. After about 40 days of U33 he has put on a good amount of weight, he is no longer so tucked up underneath his tummy and he is much more relaxed in himself as well.

I only use their supplements now and can't recommend them highly enough. Their stuff can be pricey but I'd much rather spend the money on something I know works well for my boys.

However, before purchasing any of their products I'd always suggest giving Simon a call or email so you can describe what is going on with your horse and he can recommend the most appropriate supplement - what he suggested for Jack and Pol may not be what he suggests for someone else.